FW: Re:vegetarian diet- meat

[Guest guest]

From Karta Purkh Singh, Eugene, Oregon

 

 

 

Yoga promotes vegetarianism for spiritual and health reasons. Yet it

still is important to find what works for you.

 

In 35 years as a practitioner, I have never found one person who

wanted to be vegetarian who could not configure their diet and herb

routine to accommodate this diet and thrive.

 

Meat is a dense and convenient source of multiple nutrients,

including protein. It also has disadvantages.

 

The point is to honestly assess how your body is coping with your

lifestyle, health history, and tattva balance today. Then make

adjustments. It is essential to consume and digest enough protein. I

have seen patients who eat and digest too little protein, and are

depleted from their diet. I have also seen people who consume excess

protein and do not digest it, resulting in a buildup of cellular

waste and the need for detoxification.

 

Moral issues aside, the main practical objection to meat is that it

is dense and heavy, so hard to digest. It is essential to cook it

properly and to assure that agni is up to the job. Yogi Bhajan said

that, from the point of view of physical health, you could eat

anything you want, if it would come out within 24 hours. His opinion

was that meat usually would not.

 

According to Dr, Gaby, the American diet tends to contain too much

protein. He claims that studies have indicated that excessive protein

in the diet may encourage bone loss. When you eat more protein, the

urinary

 

Beans, peas and other legumes, including lentils, are an excellent

source of protein. If you include these in your diet, and also eat

whole grains such as whole wheat, oats, corn, barley, millet,

buckwheat and, rice, these two food groups together will provide the

entire assortment of essential amino acids you need for protein.

Legumes are high in the alkaline minerals calcium, magnesium,

potassium, iron, copper, zinc and vitamin B-complex, all nutrients

that benefit strong bones. As an added benefit, legumes are high in

soluble fiber, the kind that lowers cholesterol.

 

Having said this, remember- it's still necessary to consume enough

protein. Decreased density of the femur is associated with the amount

of protein in the diet. The bone is composed of a very important

protein matrix, in which minerals are deposited. Unless there is

sufficient dietary protein, the body cannot preserve its protein

matrix. So, as with most things, balance is the key- we need neither

too much nor too little protein.

 

Recall that Ayurveda says that meat is not to be consumed with milk,

yogurt or eggs.

 

Meat builds blood. Other blood building options include black sesame

seeds, pomegranate, black grape juice and molasses. Chyavanprash,

turmeric and ghee help. Iron supplements should be taken with ginger

or cinnamon to aid assimilation.

 

The text in the Charaka Samhita states that meat is `unwholesome' if

it comes from an animal that has been raised in surroundings that is

not its natural or native environment. Meat is toxic if the animal

has consumed food not its natural diet or environment. In present day

industrialized countries, meat is produced in unhealthy ways, and

contaminated with many drugs and hormones.

[Guest guest]

Thank you, KartaPurkh, for that comprehensive reply. There is some very important information contained in this reply, and I appreciate the completeness of it.

Blessings-

Guru Jiwan Kaur

 

"If you accept the enjoyment of nature, of its beauty and bounty, then you will never have a chance to be in the wrong place. Just accept that you are always in the right place, and the hand of God’s time and space will always be yours." ~Yogi Bhajan